


Christmas Baking

by curiouselfqueen



Series: Holiday One-Shots [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Baking, Charlie Weasley being a sweet babe, Christmas, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Hermione Granger can't make up her mind, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 08:30:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14540769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouselfqueen/pseuds/curiouselfqueen
Summary: Molly Weasley has decided that now she's a grandmother she shouldn't be the one to do all the holiday baking.  So Charlie and Hermione spend the afternoon in the kitchen, while also contemplating Hermione's future work options.





	Christmas Baking

**Author's Note:**

> More holiday fics in the spring!  
> Thank you to everyone who's been reading these little fics. I wrote them quite a while ago, originally posted on tumblr, and it's been fun revisiting them. This was cleaned up a little, but still un-beta'd. If anyone would like to volunteer looking over my stuff before posting more, I'd definitely be open to that!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy some fluffy holiday baking with Charlie and Hermione!
> 
> Pairing: Charlie x Hermione  
> Situation: Christmas baking

Hermione was nearly doubled over in laughter in the kitchen of the Burrow.  Charlie was standing next to her, telling horrible joke after horrible joke, fitting in as many puns (no matter how awfully crafted) into their conversation as possible.  She’s groan and roll her eyes while he laughed.  The fact that they were both wearing old aprons of Mrs. Weasley’s – Charlie’s being the most ruffled and covered in lace that they could find – and completely overtaking the kitchen baking cookies just added to the joyful chaos.

The overcrowded space meant that they kept bumping into each other as they reached for bowls and spoons, floating trays of cookies to the oven and tossing dirty utensils in the sink to be washed by the charmed scrubber.  Hermione tried very hard to not pay too much attention to the way Charlie’s jeans fit him absolutely perfectly, creating some very enjoyable views.  She also tried very hard to forget that she knew his shirt hid the strong, toned muscles he had from working with dragons.

Instead, she reminded herself that they were friends, and to enjoy their time together for what it was.  Charlie made her laugh like no one else, and she wouldn’t risk their easy friendship over something that may not work out.  Something not likely to last, even if it did work, she told herself.  Written down on paper, Hermione doubted anyone would pair the rugged batchelor and the bushy-haired bookworm together.  She spent her time curled up with a book by the fire.  He spent most of his time outdoors.  Yet here they were, baking Christmas cookies together because Molly had declared herself becoming too old to make more than a few batches, while nearly everyone else home for the holiday was outside playing a pickup game of Quidditch.

As Hermione tempered her giggles, Charlie looked down at her from the corner of his eye.  She went back to measuring out ingredients while he began placing rolls of dough onto the baking sheets.

“What were you reading when I came in?” he asked.

Hermione paused, slightly derailed by his thoughtful question.  She measured out two more teaspoons of baking powder before setting it down and answering “Treatises on magical creature regulation.”

“By who?”

“Well,” Hermione sighed as she reached for the vanilla.  “I had started with background information.  Grogan Stump, obviously,” Charlie chuckled and agreed “Obviously,” under his breath.  “Then there are so many rabbit trails to go down when you’re considering the ‘Beast’ qualification.  The arguments between centaurs, merpeople, hags and vampires are almost violent at times!  And that’s just between themselves.  Add in the wizards of the time and it’s a wonder regulations exist at all.”

“It’s taken a lot of mediation and patience over a long time to get to where we are today,” Charlie added, earning a scoff from the witch at his side.

“And there’s still plenty further to go.”

Charlie nodded thoughtfully, but cheerfully said “Agreed, though I decided a long time ago that’s not the work for me.  Is that something you’re looking to go into then?”

Hermione cringed slightly and turned to check the oven to hide her discomfort.  She had gone back to Hogwarts, finished her classes and graduated, gotten top NEWTs, several offers for jobs she didn’t even apply for yet two years after the war was over, the brains of the Golden Trio was still unemployed.

“I’m not sure,” she said to buy some time.  She didn’t want to give Charlie the same excuses she did to everyone else.  Their friendship dictated better than that.  Hermione pulled the hot baking sheets out of the oven and turned back to the kitchen.  Grabbing a spatula, she began sliding the cookies onto a cooling rack one by one.  “I’ve considered it,” she sighed.  “It’s the subject I come back to most often.  Honestly, it’s something I’ve been interested in since third year.”  Her hands were steady as she slipped one cookie after another onto the table.  Charlie had stopped mixing, and stood staring at her.

Clearing her throat as if pulling herself from her thoughts, she straightened herself up and said in what Charlie called her studious voice, “I’ve actually been thinking of going to visit Firenze up at Hogwarts to discuss what I’ve been researching.  For some hopefully updated perspective.”

“You know, if you’re serious about going into this field, I’m happy to help… with anything you need.”  Hermione looked up at Charlie to see the most reserved grin she had ever seen him wear.  “Or even if you’re not serious about it,” he ran a hand through his hair and Hermione told herself to stay focused on what he was saying.  “I’ve actually got some copies of Newton Scamander’s field notes if you’d be interested-”

“Really?!”

Charlie chuckled and picked up his mixing bowl again.  “Yeah, you could borrow them if you want.”  Hermione was completely lost in the thrill of being allowed access to records she knew were highly limited and almost didn’t catch what he said next.  “Or you could read them while you visited for some field experience of your own.”  Hermione’s jaw dropped just a tiny bit as he added with a smirk “If visiting me isn’t reason enough to bring you out to Romania.”

Hermione sank down onto a stool and told her body to stop staring up at Charlie Weasley, standing there in a ruffled apron while baking Christmas cookies, but her eyes wouldn’t listen.

“Do you really mean that?” she nearly whispered.

He chuckled again before looking at her with his ice blue eyes and firmly stating “I do.  You’re welcome anytime,  _balaur meu mic_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks again for reading!


End file.
